(a) Technical Field
The present invention relates to a valve for controlling coolant flow and a fuel cell cooling system using the same, and more particularly, to a mechanical valve for controlling coolant flow, which may be opened and closed based on the pressure of a coolant, and a fuel cell cooling system using the same.
(b) Background Art
In general, a fuel cell stack that operates as a main power supply source of a fuel cell vehicle is a device configured to receive oxygen in air and hydrogen as a fuel and then generate electricity. The fuel cell stack stably exhibits the optimum output when a coolant, the temperature of which is optimally adjusted, is introduced into the stack and, thus, it is important to maintain the optimum temperature of the coolant introduced into the stack.
When the fuel cell stack is initially started, the amount of heating of the stack is minimal and, when the temperature of the coolant is low, the coolant flows along the following loop: a stack→a pump→a coolant control valve→the stack. Further, as time passes, when the amount of heating of the stack increases and the temperature of the coolant increase, a valve for adjusting coolant flow cuts off a bypass loop and, then, the coolant flows along the following loop: a stack→the pump→a radiator→the coolant control valve→the stack.
The coolant control valve is an electronic valve configured to receive an inlet temperature signal of the stack, adjust the opening degree of the loop and cause the coolant having a constant temperature to be introduced into the stack regardless of external environments.